Fun worldly facts: Interesting entertainment, technology tidbits for the new year

Published: Friday, January 10, 2014 at 02:20 PM.

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Just in time for 2014, the latest edition of “The World Almanac and Book of Facts” has been released, highlighting some of the notable names, figures and moments from our most recent past. Some of the most prominently reported subjects in the book have to do with technology use and stand-out entertainment. Here are some of the interesting facts. For more information, visit www.worldalmanac.com.

Cellphones (AP photo of phone) 82 – Percentage of Americans who texted on their phones. 59 – Percentage of Americans who accessed the Internet via cellphone. No. 3 – The United States’ rank in cellphone use, with 310 million subscriptions. China was No. 1 with 1,100 billion, and India was No. 2 with 864.7 million. 91 – Percentage of U.S. households with at least one cellphone. * Latest figures from 2012

Internet (Facebook logo) 144.7 million – Number of visitors to Facebook, making it the most-visited social networking site (as of June 2013). 12.8 billion – Number of searches on Google, making it the most-used search engine (as of June 2013). 20.4 – Average number of hours per week spent online by U.S. internet users age 12 and older (as of 2012). 87 -- Percentage of Americans that checked their email at least once a day (as of 2012). No. 2 – The United States’ rank in internet use, with 271 million users. China was No. 1 with 489.5 million users (as of 2012).

Film “Marvel’s The Avengers” – No. 1 top-grossing film of 2012. “Argo” – 2013 Academy Award winner for Best Picture. 29 – Number of films/TV shows produced in North Carolina (as of 2010-11). Projects included “The Hunger Games,” “Homeland” and “One Tree Hill.” $1.07 billion – 2012 box office revenue. $7.96 – Average price for a movie ticket in 2012.

Music (Taylor Swift photo, from Big Machine Records) Taylor Swift – Top-selling artist in digital sales, with 45 million (as of August 2013). Mumford & Sons – 2013 Grammy for Album of the Year for “Babel.” “Somebody that I Used to Know” – 2013 Grammy for Record of the Year, by Gotye. Country – No. 1 commercial radio format in the U.S., with 2,042 stations (as of 2013). Kinky Boots – 2013 Tony for Musical of the Year.

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Just in time for 2014, the latest edition of “The World Almanac and Book of Facts” has been released, highlighting some of the notable names, figures and moments from our most recent past. Some of the most prominently reported subjects in the book have to do with technology use and stand-out entertainment. Here are some of the interesting facts. For more information, visit www.worldalmanac.com.

Cellphones (AP photo of phone)
82 – Percentage of Americans who texted on their phones.
59 – Percentage of Americans who accessed the Internet via cellphone.
No. 3 – The United States’ rank in cellphone use, with 310 million subscriptions. China was No. 1 with 1,100 billion, and India was No. 2 with 864.7 million.
91 – Percentage of U.S. households with at least one cellphone.
* Latest figures from 2012

Internet (Facebook logo)
144.7 million – Number of visitors to Facebook, making it the most-visited social networking site (as of June 2013).
12.8 billion – Number of searches on Google, making it the most-used search engine (as of June 2013).
20.4 – Average number of hours per week spent online by U.S. internet users age 12 and older (as of 2012).
87 -- Percentage of Americans that checked their email at least once a day (as of 2012).
No. 2 – The United States’ rank in internet use, with 271 million users. China was No. 1 with 489.5 million users (as of 2012).

Film
“Marvel’s The Avengers” – No. 1 top-grossing film of 2012.
“Argo” – 2013 Academy Award winner for Best Picture.
29 – Number of films/TV shows produced in North Carolina (as of 2010-11). Projects included “The Hunger Games,” “Homeland” and “One Tree Hill.”
$1.07 billion – 2012 box office revenue.
$7.96 – Average price for a movie ticket in 2012.

Music (Taylor Swift photo, from Big Machine Records)
Taylor Swift – Top-selling artist in digital sales, with 45 million (as of August 2013).
Mumford & Sons – 2013 Grammy for Album of the Year for “Babel.”
“Somebody that I Used to Know” – 2013 Grammy for Record of the Year, by Gotye.
Country – No. 1 commercial radio format in the U.S., with 2,042 stations (as of 2013).
Kinky Boots – 2013 Tony for Musical of the Year.